


Have Their Moment (In My Life)

by sunsetmog



Category: Wild Child
Genre: Boarding School, F/F, First Time
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-12-20
Updated: 2009-12-20
Packaged: 2017-10-04 16:50:31
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,943
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/32358
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sunsetmog/pseuds/sunsetmog
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Fat letters mean only one thing: acceptance. It doesn't take much paper to say, <i>sorry, you weren't successful in your application to the university of your choice</i>. Nobody wants the thin letters.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Have Their Moment (In My Life)

**Author's Note:**

  * For [summerstorm](https://archiveofourown.org/users/summerstorm/gifts).



> Merry Christmas, summerstorm! I hope you enjoy this.
> 
> With thanks to W &amp; R for their assistance and betas. ♥

~*~

Kate finds the envelope after breakfast. It's thicker than she'd expected, and jammed into her post tray like it isn't the most important letter of her life. She bites her lip to keep from grinning, and hugs it to her chest, because fat letters mean only one thing: acceptance. Nobody wants the thin letters; it doesn't take much paper to say, _sorry, you weren't successful in your application to the university of your choice_.

She looks up. Her friends are halfway down the corridor, heading back to their dormitory, but she wants to read this by herself. She doesn't follow them, and heads instead for the upper sixth common room, which she knows will be quiet – if not empty - at this time on a Saturday morning.

She's right; there's nobody there. She switches the lights on and curls up on the battered old settee in the corner by the radiator, and pulls her knees up to her chin. As it's the weekend, she's still in her pyjamas, her lacrosse hoodie tugged on over the top, and she pulls the blanket off the back of the settee and over her knees. It's not cold, exactly, although the weather outside is pretty frightful, but she likes being wrapped up warm when it's raining and horrible outside. The toes of her fluffy bunny slippers peek out from under the blanket, and she shifts a little so that the bunny ears are visible. Drippy had bought them all a pair for Christmas the previous year, and Kate's kind of in love with hers.

She opens the envelope, and starts to read:

_Dear Kate_, it says, _We are pleased to offer you a place to study English and Scottish Literature at the University of Edinburgh, commencing September -_

Kate bites her lip, and laughs out loud.

~*~

She's disturbed by Poppy, of all people. They don't usually see much of Poppy on Saturday mornings, because she tends to sneak back to bed after breakfast, but she seems pretty awake today. She pushes Kate's feet out of the way and sits down next to her.

"Hey," Poppy says, her face curving into a smile. Her eyes are bright. "I figured I'd find you here."

Poppy's clutching an envelope that looks sort of the same as Kate's.

"What's that?" Kate asks, curiously.

Poppy bites her lip, and turns the envelope around, so that Kate can see the logo, and Poppy's name on the front.

"Edinburgh," Kate says, softly. "It's an acceptance pack for Edinburgh."

"Yeah," Poppy says, and she smiles. "I got in."

"But you didn't apply there," Kate says, stupidly. Suddenly the room feels a lot smaller, and Kate can't stop looking at the University of Edinburgh logo in the corner of Poppy's envelope. "I applied there. You applied to Bristol. Freddie -"

"Manchester, Warwick, Edinburgh, Edinburgh again, UCL and Leeds," Poppy says, and she swallows. "That's where I applied. I didn't apply to Bristol, Kate."

"But Freddie -" Kate says, again. "Freddie's at Bristol."

"We broke up," Poppy says.

"Yes," Kate nods. "You broke up in September. Because he was in Bristol and you were here. But you're going to be in Bristol, too. That was the plan. We made that plan. That was the plan."

"Plans change," Poppy says, softly, and she smoothes her hair behind her ear. _She's so pretty_, Kate thinks, and then, _it's so stupid, being in love with your best friend_. "Look, I don't think it's raining, for like, the first time in forever. You want to go outside or something?"

"We've missed the bus into town," Kate says, checking her watch. She sits up, anyway, and folds the blanket back over the arm of the settee. She needs to get out of her pyjamas.

"I know." Poppy smiles again. "Come on, let's get dressed and go hang out in the woods, or whatever. The others have all gone for the bus."

"You're so weird," Kate says, gathering together her acceptance papers and standing up. "You know that, right? You're completely weird?"

"I know," Poppy says, and she stands up and slips her hand into the crook of Kate's elbow. "But don't you ever think, I don't know. That you're going to miss this place? Everything's, like. The last time." She shrugs her shoulders. "My dad sent me a picture of Mom when she was here. She was down by the stream, in the woods. I want to go see if I can find out where the picture was taken."

Kate nods. "Yeah," she says, because Poppy very rarely talks about her mum. Kate knows that she played lacrosse, and that she went to Abbey Mount too, and that she died. She knows that Poppy looks like her. Kate can't imagine her mum dying. "It could be muddy, though."

Poppy smiles again. "Excellent," she says. "Come on."

~*~

They wrap up in scarves and wellies and jeans and big jumpers and thick coats. Kate thinks that it looks like it might rain later on, but Poppy's enthusiasm is infectious and Kate can't help it when she grins back, pulling on her hat and her gloves and laughing as she sneaks down the back staircase and out into the grounds after Poppy. They wave at Matron as they duck out under the archway, and she shakes her head at them as they go.

"This is _awesome_," Poppy says, after they've climbed over the stile and into the woods. It's been raining on and off for a week so the path is muddy and a little slippery; Kate treads carefully and smiles at Poppy as she laughs. "I got into _Edinburgh_," Poppy says. "My dad is going to be blown away."

"Have you told him yet?"

"It's the middle of the night for him," Poppy says. "I'll call him later." She slips, and bumps into a tree. "Ow."

"You alright?" Kate asks, one hand in the small of Poppy's back. She wonders if she's been in love with Poppy from the very first moment she saw her, and thinks she probably has been.

"I'm good," Poppy says, grinning. "Nothing can be bad today. I got into _Edinburgh_." She pronounces it a little wrong, sounding out the _burgh_ so it's long and American. Kate wants to correct her, but there's something about the way Poppy speaks that Kate loves, and she doesn't want that to change.

"What's your first choice?" Kate asks. This is all any of them have been talking about for weeks, Kate realises, universities and entrance requirements and A level grades and mock exams. Kate knows everything about Drippy and Josie and Kiki's options and choices, and how Drippy wants to go to Manchester more than anything in the world, and how Kiki's Cambridge interview was the worst moment of her life. But Poppy's kept quiet, Kate realises, and she hadn't noticed. She wonders why. She's so used to noticing everything about Poppy that her having kept a secret from her is, well, kind of strange.

Poppy looks back at her, and stops. "It's Edinburgh," she says, slowly. "Edinburgh's my first choice."

Kate's heart is beating loud in her chest. The way Poppy's looking at her – Kate doesn't want to read anything in to it. "Why didn't you tell me?" Kate says, after a moment. She wonders if her voice sounds weird.

Poppy shrugs. "Because," she says. "I wanted it to be a surprise."

Kate swallows. "It is. It's great, Poppy."

"Yeah," Poppy says. "It is, right? You think we can share a dorm room?"

"I don't think it works like that," Kate says. "I think you just get, I don't know. Randomly matched up, or something."

"Yeah," Poppy says, decisively. "I'll get my dad to call them."

Kate grins, and slides her hand into the crook of Poppy's elbow. "We're going to university," she says, softly, because this is the best thing she could have imagined. "Me and you."

"Kate and Poppy," Poppy says, grinning and pressing closer. "Edinburgh had better watch out."

"Yeah," Kate says, and her gaze drops to Poppy's mouth, her pink lips, the tip of her tongue. When she looks up, Poppy's watching her, and Kate flushes a little and pulls away, heading down the path towards the stream. "Come on," she says, "I think it's going to rain again."

"No way," Poppy says, after a moment. She hurries to catch Kate up, and giggles.

~*~

It rains.

It more than rains. It buckets down, a torrential downpour that starts when they're standing by the edge of the stream and continues the whole way back to school. Kate slips in the mud by the stile, falling down onto her knees, hands out in front of her. Poppy helps her up, cupping her elbow. She has mud all the way down her jeans and her gloves are filthy and she's wet and cold and a little embarrassed.

Poppy helps her over the stile, and her hair is plastered to her forehead and it's suddenly ridiculously _cold_.

"I need a _bath_," Poppy complains, over the sound of the rain. They're running across the lacrosse pitch, trying not to slip over, Kate holding her hat on with one muddy hand. She can't keep up; her jeans are wet and muddy and _heavy_.

Poppy stops, and holds her hand out, and Kate laughs and grabs Poppy's hand. They run across the grounds in the rain and in the back door, laughing and wet through and cold.

Matron comes out of her office, and rolls her eyes. "Wellies off, girls," she says, "and go and have a hot bath, the two of you. Going out in this weather -" she walks off still talking, and Poppy and Kate look at each other and laugh.

Everyone else is still in town, and their dormitory is empty when they tumble in, cold and wet and muddy. They grab their towels and their dressing gowns and slippers, and head back down the corridor to the bathroom. They have it to themselves, and they lock the door and smile.

Poppy starts to peel off her clothes, even before Kate's turned the taps on. She has the remains of a bottle of bubble bath she got for Christmas last year; it was part of a gift set from Boots and it's almond and pistachio, or something. It smells lovely, anyway, and she uses the last of it as she runs her bath. She tries not to think about Poppy taking her clothes off behind her; they share a _bedroom_ so it isn't as if Poppy half-naked isn't something she sees a lot, but it's the way it makes her feel, hot and a little tingly. It makes her blush, because there's this part of her that's so in love with Poppy she can barely think straight, and then there's the other part of her, the part that tells her she's being ridiculous and stupid over her best friend. It's hard, though, to listen to that part of her when Poppy's picked to go to university with her over anyone else, over _Freddie_, and there's this weird tension in the air between them that Kate _thinks_ she recognises, but can't quite believe is true.

"Oh," Poppy says, hooking her chin over Kate's shoulder. She's wrapped in her dressing gown, and Kate swallows, suddenly breathless. "You ran out of bubble bath. I was going to ask if I could get some of that."

"Too late," Kate says, awkwardly, and she wants to laugh but she can't, because Poppy's so close to her, and she's suddenly so very aware of every movement she makes.

"Oh," Poppy says, again. "I guess we could share? I mean. If you don't mind."

Kate swallows. "No," she says, but she _does mind_. She really does mind. She wants this so badly.

"Awesome," Poppy says. The bath is almost full, and Kate reaches over and turns off the taps. She turns around blindly, because Poppy is pulling off her robe, and climbing into the bath, and Kate can't help but sneak a look. Poppy's beautiful, all slim legs and small, perfect breasts and Kate wants to touch so badly she can barely help herself from making a soft sound in her throat as she watches.

She turns around and starts to pull off her jumper, and her top, and her muddy, wet jeans. She drops them on the floor in a pile, and adds her socks to the top. She's in her bra and pants and her skin is clammy and cold, even in the warm, wet heat of the bathroom. She isn't sure she can bring herself to take off the rest of her clothes. It isn't as if they haven't shared baths before; there are five of them and four baths, and occasionally needs must, but it's never felt like this.

"Hurry up," Poppy says, and Kate knows she means to sound relaxed and comfortable, but Kate can recognise the slight shake to her voice, the nerves. Kate wants so much to be right about this.

"Yeah," Kate manages, and she takes a deep breath and peels off her pants and unhooks her bra.

Poppy holds out her hand, and Kate takes it as she climbs into the bath; she doesn't meet Poppy's eyes, and it's only when she's sat deep in the bath water, knees up to her chin, that she looks up and meets Poppy's gaze.

Poppy doesn't let go of her hand. "You caught your nail," she says, inspecting Kate's fingers, and Kate nods, wordlessly. "Let me," Poppy says, and reaches out along the shelf to where she's left her toilet bag. She gets out a nail file and starts to file the rough edge of Kate's nail.

It's oddly intimate and Kate's breath feels like it's caught in her throat. Poppy leans over her hand, and Kate's suddenly aware of how naked they both are, and how near to each other they are. Kate's feet are either side of Poppy's, and the water splashes as they move. Kate doesn't stare at Poppy's breasts, but that's almost worse than staring, because she's pink-cheeked with awareness of how she's _not_ looking at them.

"There," Poppy says, after a minute. Her voice sounds husky. "All done."

She doesn't drop Kate's hand.

"Poppy -" Kate says, softly.

"We're going to _Edinburgh_," Poppy says quickly, with a smile, and Kate can't help but smile back.

"Dependent on our A-level results," Kate reminds her.

Poppy rolls her eyes. "Two A's and a B," she says. "We can get that, easily."

"Easy," Kate echoes, and Poppy's enthusiasm is infectious, because suddenly Kate believes it; they can do this. They can pass their exams and go to university together and everything's going to be _perfect_. "We could get a flat," she says, "in second year."

"Our own apartment," Poppy says. "Can you imagine?"

Kate thinks about a huge bed and make up all over the dressing table and their clothes spilling all over the cupboards and the floor, about the shared bathroom and making food together in their kitchen. "Yeah," she says, "yes."

Poppy smiles, bright and easy and wide. "It'll be _great_," she says. "Josie and Kiki and Drippy could come stay."

Kate laughs. "It'd have to be a big flat."

Poppy waves her hand in the air. "Daddy will find us one," she says, off-handedly.

"We can find our own," Kate says. "It'll be tiny and grotty and _ours_."

Poppy wrinkles her nose, and Kate almost forgets that they're sharing a bath together, and that Poppy is still holding Kate's hand in hers. "Grotty?" she says, carefully.

"Student flats are supposed to be awful," Kate tells her. "Everyone knows that."

Poppy has come a long way from using her hand sanitizer every ten minutes, but Kate can't help but burst out laughing at Poppy's face. "We can get somewhere nicer afterwards," Kate starts, but then she realises that she's talking about a life after university already, a life where there's the two of them, and that's not how things are going to turn out, she knows that. Her and Poppy are a dream, not a reality, and she's got to remember that.

Poppy doesn't seem to notice, though, because she just narrows her eyes. "Promise?" she says. "If we live somewhere – _grotty_ – we can live somewhere nice after we graduate?"

Kate swallows. "Yeah," she says, and her voice catches. She meets Poppy's eyes, and they're dark. "I'd like that," she says.

"Me too," Poppy says.

Poppy still doesn't let go of her hand, and Kate's ridiculously, stupidly aware of how naked she is, of how warm the room is, about how Poppy is naked too, and how her skin gleams when wet.

"Kate," Poppy says, softly. "Kate -"

"Why didn't you apply to Bristol?" Kate says, quickly. "Don't you want to get back with Freddie? You know about how far it is from Bristol to Edinburgh, right? This is like that whole Oxford Street thing, only further. A lot further."

"Kate," Poppy says again, and she shifts a little, twining her fingers with Kate's. They're holding hands. "I don't want Freddie."

Kate doesn't know what to say. "What," she manages. "Never?"

"No," Poppy says. "Not ever. I mean. I still email him. But I don't want to like, kiss him anymore. I don't mind if he tells me he's kissed someone else, either. That's like, the biggest sign, right?"

"Okay," Kate says, awkwardly.

Poppy licks her lips. "Kate -" she stops. "Freddie and I are friends. I'm coming to Edinburgh," she says, finally. "With you."

"Yes," Kate says, nervously.

Poppy swallows, and Kate watches her throat move. She wants to press her mouth to Poppy's skin, and see what she tastes like. She doesn't.

"Let me wash your hair," Poppy says, finally. "I've got that new conditioner."

"Yes," Kate says, "alright." She ducks her head.

"Turn around."

Kate doesn't know what to say, but she can't refuse. She shuffles up onto her knees so that she can turn right around, and then Poppy's hand is on her shoulder and tugging her back. The water splashes over the edge but Kate doesn't care. Her heart's beating loud in her chest, and she thinks, _oh my god, oh my god, oh my god_. She squeezes her hand into a fist, because she's nervous and because this might really be happening.

"Come further back," Poppy says, softly, and Kate shifts back, further into the v of Poppy's legs, and then Poppy slides her hand around Kate's waist, and Kate's resting her cheek against Poppy's shoulder. They don't move, a still, tense silence twisting around them as they wait.

Kate can't breathe, and then Poppy lets out a soft sigh, and slides her hand into Kate's hair.

It's permission for Kate to reach up and stroke at the nape of Poppy's neck with her fingertips and Kate can't deny what they're doing anymore. She looks up, and meets Poppy's eyes.

"Poppy," she says.

"Yeah," Poppy says, and she doesn't reach for the shampoo. She just keeps stroking her fingers through Kate's hair, and Kate wants to kiss her more than anything she's ever wanted, more than _Edinburgh_, even.

She tilts her chin and takes a breath, and presses her mouth to Poppy's.

Poppy kisses her back, and it's really just amazing, because Poppy tastes sweet and warm and her skin is soft and wet and smooth, and she's _right there_, pressed up against Kate and it's wonderful. Kate cups Poppy's cheek in her palm and shifts so that she's even closer; she can't quite believe that Poppy is _kissing her back_, but she _is_. She really is.

"I don't want Freddie," Poppy says, as Kate takes a breath. "I want _you_."

"But -" Kate doesn't know what to say. She almost says, _I'm a girl_, or, _I'm not Freddie_, but really, she wants to say, _good_, and _yes_. She says, "I want you, too," instead.

"I can't stop thinking about you," Poppy says, softly. "This was my plan. Not getting Freddie back. Getting you."

Kate swallows. "Oh," she says.

"Yeah," Poppy agrees, and then she's closing the distance between them and pressing Kate into a kiss and it's _glorious_. Kate's never kissed another girl before and it's _different_ to the two boys she's kissed. She's only ever wanted to kiss girls, really, and since Poppy came to Abbey Mount, she's only really ever wanted to kiss Poppy. She wants to touch Poppy everywhere, but she doesn't know where to start; she strokes her fingers down Poppy's neck, and across her shoulder, and then down to her breasts.

Poppy's intake of breath is sharp, but she doesn't say no. She kisses Kate harder, if anything, and Kate wants to look, to watch as she touches Poppy for the first time, but she wants to kiss Poppy more, so she kisses her back and cups Poppy's breast at the same time. Poppy's skin is slippery-wet and warm, and when Kate brushes the heel of her hand across Poppy's nipple, Poppy arches her back and presses even closer.

They kiss, and they touch, and Poppy slides her hand into the small of Kate's back. Kate kneels up and the water's going everywhere and most of the bubbles are gone, either on the floor or just disappeared, but she doesn't care. She kneels over Poppy and kisses her, cupping her face in her hands and it's incredible, like everything she's ever wanted, and then Poppy slides her hand in between Kate's legs and everything gets a hundred times better.

"Oh _fuck_," Kate gasps, because Poppy's fingers are a little hesitant, but they're right there, touching her _there_, and it's amazing. Poppy doesn't press too hard, but she circles Kate's clit with her fingertips and Kate's hips rock down against her fingers and it's _perfect_.

"Touch me," Poppy says, and Kate cups Poppy's breasts and strokes at her nipples with her thumbs. There isn't enough room for her to touch Poppy in between her legs, because Kate's knees are either side of Poppy's, and Poppy's legs are pressed together. She kisses her again, instead, and it's lovely. She whines against Poppy's mouth when Poppy slides her fingers inside of Kate, and Kate can't stop herself. It's been barely anything, hardly a touch, but she comes quickly, her skin quivering as Poppy continues to touch her.

"Sorry," she says, breathlessly, but Poppy shakes her head.

"No," Poppy says, her voice soft. "That was -" she lets out a breath. "Kate, Kate."

Kate urges Poppy up on to her knees, and Poppy goes easily. They kneel up out of the water, facing each other, and Kate carefully strokes her fingers in between Poppy's legs. Poppy is so hot, and so wet, and she doesn't hide her face as Kate slowly strokes her way inside, sliding her fingertips inside of Poppy's body. Her breath hitches, her cheeks pink, and Kate fingers her and thinks, _oh. Poppy, Poppy, Poppy_.

Kate has never done this, but she's always wanted to, and it's so easy to keep on touching her as Poppy's skin pinks and her breath starts coming quicker. "Poppy," she breathes, and Poppy curves her hand into Kate's hair and pulls her even closer, until Poppy's mouth touches Kate's cheek and Kate can feel Poppy's breath hot against her skin.

Poppy's orgasm is a surprise; she comes with an _oh!_ and it's kind of incredible; Kate did that. She wants to do it again, right now. Instead, she sinks down into the lukewarm water, and lets Poppy press herself to Kate's side.

"That was _awesome_," Poppy says.

Kate agrees, and she wraps her arms around Poppy's shoulders. There's barely any room and the water isn't warm enough anymore, but she just made Poppy Moore come, so she doesn't exactly care. She just had sex, for the first time. She lost her virginity to Poppy Moore. She needs to wash her hair.

"We should shower," Poppy says, regretfully, and Kate agrees, even though they're already in the bath. "The tub's all cold."

"We could, um -" Kate trails off. The shower cubicles are big enough for two, probably.

"What?" Poppy asks.

"Shower together?" Kate suggests. Her cheeks are flushed. She can't quite believe she suggested it; she still can't quite believe what just happened.

Poppy hides her smile in Kate's shoulder. "Sure," she says. "I could wash your hair."

Kate pulls Poppy closer. "Okay," she says, "yeah."

~*~

They spend too long kissing in the shower, and they leave the intensive conditioner in way too long. The water starts to run cold and they start to laugh and rinse the conditioner out, shivering under the chilly spray.

They tumble out of the shower and into Poppy's huge bath towel. It's big enough to wrap around the two of them, and Poppy cups Kate's face in her hands and kisses her, over and over.

"My hair," Kate complains, but she doesn't care.

"I'll blow dry it and straighten it for you," Poppy tells her, in between kisses.

"Yeah," Kate says. "Make me look gorgeous." She makes a stupid face, and laughs, but Poppy just shakes her head, and reaches for another towel. She starts to dry Kate's hair, and Kate can't laugh about that anymore, not when Poppy's looking at her like that.

"You're always gorgeous," Poppy says, and Kate waits for the punchline, but it never comes.

"Poppy -"

"You can't laugh, okay?" Poppy says. Kate shakes her head. "It's just. I think I'm in love with you. But it's like – how do you know?"

"You just do, I think," Kate says. She'd known she was in love with Poppy soon enough. She's always known.

"Yeah," Poppy says. "That's what I thought." She finishes towelling Kate's hair, and reaches for another towel. "Do me?"

Kate nods, and starts to dry Poppy's hair with the towel. Poppy's eyes close, and Kate wants to lean in and touch her mouth to Poppy's skin. "Why didn't you tell me?" She says, finally. "You filled in the UCAS form weeks ago, why didn't you ever say anything?"

Poppy doesn't open her eyes. "I don't know," she says, after a while. "I was talking to Freddie about going to college -"

"University," Kate corrects, rolling her eyes.

"College," Poppy says, and she leans into Kate's hand. Kate smoothes Poppy's damp hair behind her ear. "We were talking and all I could think about was _you_. So I just. I did it. And then I went away and thought about it a lot – thought about _you_ a lot – and I just... wanted to wait."

Kate drops Poppy's towel down over the edge of the chair, and curls her fingers into Poppy's hair."I have wanted to kiss you for _so long_," Kate says. It feels kind of weird, being able to say it out loud after so long having to keep it all locked up.

Poppy's lashes are dark against her cheek. "Really?" she says, and it probably should be weird, wrapped together in a huge towel in the middle of the bathroom, but it just feels intimate, and special. They've used so much hot water that the tiles are damp with condensation, and the air feels wet and warm.

"Poppy," Kate says, "I'm so in love with you."

Poppy stills, and for a moment Kate's worried, but then Poppy's tangling her fingers in Kate's hair and pressing closer for a kiss.

_Yes_, Kate thinks, and she slides her hands into the small of Poppy's back and pulls her closer.

~*~

They've missed lunch, and when they text the others to find out when they're going to be back, Josie texts back, _before tea. Drippys buying all the wagon wheels in the world_.

Kate grins, and texts back, _buy more for us we missed lunch_.

They've stolen the pillows from everyone's beds, and stacked them up on Poppy's bed. Kate sits in between Poppy's legs as Poppy straightens her hair, and fiddles with her phone.

Kate wants to type, _I'm in love with Poppy_, and text the others, but she doesn't. Her stomach's turning somersaults, and outside the rain's coming down thick and heavy and fast. She's glad she's inside, glad she's here. She pulls up the blanket over them both, and waits until Poppy's done, until she hears the _beep beep_ of the straighteners powering down.

"There," Poppy says, in satisfaction, and Kate tips her head back so she's leaning against Poppy's shoulder. She runs her fingertips over Poppy's stomach, watching as Poppy's mouth falls open as Kate sneaks her thumb under Poppy's jumper. She remembers Poppy's tiny cardigans from when she first arrived, and how she'd come back after the holidays complete with a suitcase full of soft cashmere jumpers and designer sweaters. She loves how Poppy's clothes feel against her palm.

"Thanks," Kate says, and Poppy smiles. Kate wants to kiss it. Poppy hasn't done her own hair yet and it's dried curly and thick. Kate runs her fingers through it, and Poppy ducks her head and blushes.

"So, I was thinking," Poppy says, after a moment. Kate's hand stills in Poppy's hair.

"Yes?" Kate says, tentatively.

"Yeah," Poppy says. "Maybe you could be. I don't know. Would you go on a date with me? Like. Actually, maybe more than one date? Tons of dates, I guess. Date after date after date."

Kate buries her face in Poppy's shoulder. She's probably messing her hair up, but she doesn't care. She says, _girlfriend girlfriend girlfriend_, over and over in her head. "Please," she says.

Poppy's face curves into a smile. "Awesome," she says, softly, and Kate twines her fingers into Poppy's.

"Yes," Kate says, and smiles back at her. "Awesome."

[End]


End file.
